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Moscow Bans Gay Pride Parades for 100 Years

Posted by on Aug 17, 2012 in Oh Hell No! | 2 comments

Nikolay Alexeyev, Russia’s most prominent LGBT rights advocate, has very little to be proud of. He has asked the city council to overturn a ban on pride parades in Moscow for the next 100 years, but sadly, the ban has been upheld.

The Moscow city government argues that the gay parade would risk causing public disorder and that most Muscovites do not support such an event.

In September, the Council of Europe – the main human rights watchdog in Europe – will examine Russia’s response to a previous European Court ruling on the gay rights issue, Russian media report.

In October 2010 the court said Russia had discriminated against Mr Alexeyev on grounds of sexual orientation. It had considered Moscow’s ban on gay parades covering the period 2006-2008.

Alexeyev has also stood in opposition to St. Petersburg’s “homosexual propaganda” law, which seeks to fine individuals and organizations found guilty of “promoting homosexuality to minors.”

Sometimes I have to stop and check myself when I complain about the lack of LGBTQ political progress in the US. I will continue to throw a healthy amount of shade at those Chick-Fil-A-Holes, but at least we have the freedom to have a parade about it. And seriously, what is so threatening about parades? Nikolay isn’t asking for permission to re-create the Folsom Street Fair, just a simple celebration so all the ‘mos in Moscow can strut their stuff. Also, 100 years? I really hope some more forward-thinking politicians step up before 2112.

(via BBC News)